Mitt Romney’s tepid response to Rush Limbaugh’s sexism is likely to come back to haunt him in the general election, at least according to Alex Castellanos:

The former Massachusetts governor “didn’t help himself,” says Alex Castellanos, a top strategist for Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign. “He had an opportunity to demonstrate strength. He left the bat on his shoulders.”

In 1992, Bill Clinton spoke out against racism within his own party; in 2012 Mitt Romney doesn’t speak out against sexism in his own party.

Rush also has a strong influence in the Republican party, so speaking out against him is damaging as well. When the chairman of the RNC tried to distance the the party from Rush, he was quickly put in his place.